Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation announced on Saturday that water harvesting and flood protection structures in the Sinai Peninsula successfully captured around 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater during last week’s storm, helping safeguard residents and infrastructure.
Minister Hani Sewilam received a detailed report from Abu Bakr El-Rouby, head of the groundwater sector, on rainfall recorded between 12 and 14 August. The ministry’s Flood Forecasting Centre had issued early warnings of medium to heavy rainfall over parts of South Sinai, enabling round-the-clock monitoring in coordination with local authorities.
On 13 August, moderate rainfall over Saint Catherine and Ras Sudr triggered a medium-strength flash flood in Abu Gaada, where 300,000 cubic metres of water were collected behind Dam No. 1. The following day, rain in Wadi El-Arbaeen led to another moderate flood, with three mountain lakes capturing about 15,000 cubic metres.
The report highlighted ongoing flood protection measures in Saint Catherine, which include a dam, two artificial lakes with a combined capacity of 850,000 cubic metres, 242 mountain lakes, and five underground reservoirs. In Ras Sudr’s Wadi Grendel, five artificial lakes and two rockfill dams with a total storage capacity of 15 million cubic metres have also been completed.
